Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) in California shot and killed a suspect who charged at them with a hatchet during a burglary Wednesday, according to a press release from the department.
The deputies were dispatched at 4:54 a.m. to a home on Van Buren Street in Midway City to investigate an alleged burglary and vehicular vandalism. Upon arriving at the scene they encountered an Asian man holding a hatchet, according to the OCSD press release.
— OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) June 14, 2023
The suspect started charging towards the deputies with the hatchet, the press release continued, at which point the officers began to shoot. (RELATED: Watch As Deputy Scales Balconies To Save Infant From Apartment Fire)
The deputies then began to perform life-saving measures on the suspect with aid from the Orange County Fire Authority, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, the OCSD reported.
Authorities recovered the hatchet from the scene. It remains unknown how the suspect came into possession of the weapon. The OCSD does not believe there is a connection between the suspect and the residents of the home, according to the press release.
The OCSD is currently withholding the suspect’s name until the Orange County Coroner can officially confirm his identity and notify next-of-kin.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is handling the investigation, according to the press release.